Finding 2 of 7 Education & employability
A degree that does not convert into a job
Only a quarter believe their degree makes them employable today, and half now learn job skills on YouTube rather than in a classroom.
27.1% പേർ മാത്രമാണ് തങ്ങളുടെ ബിരുദം ഒരു ജോലിക്ക് പൂർണ്ണമായും മതിയാകുമെന്ന് കരുതുന്നത്. 56.4% പേർ പ്രായോഗിക പരിശീലനമില്ലാത്ത പഴഞ്ചൻ സിലബസ്സാണ് ഏറ്റവും വലിയ പ്രശ്നമെന്ന് പറയുന്നു. 50.1% പേർ തൊഴിൽ നൈപുണ്യങ്ങൾ പഠിക്കുന്നത് യൂട്യൂബിൽ നിന്നാണ്.
Only 27.1% of respondents believe their degree is fully sufficient for an industry-ready job. 56.4% name an outdated theoretical syllabus as Kerala's single biggest higher-education failure, and 50.1% now acquire employable skills mainly from YouTube.
The degree is treated as necessary but not sufficient#
45.1% call their degree only partially sufficient for immediate employment and 27.8% call it completely insufficient. Together, 72.9% do not trust the qualification alone. The 27.1% who are confident are a minority even among professional-degree holders.
The diagnosis is remarkably concentrated. 56.4% attribute the failure to an outdated theoretical syllabus with zero practical training. Absent campus placements follow at 24.3%, exam and result delays at 11.0%, and a shortage of industry-experienced faculty at 8.3%. Students are not asking primarily for faster results or more colleges; they are asking for practice.
Skills have already migrated off campus#
Half the cohort (50.1%) learns modern, industry-relevant skills from YouTube and free open-source material. 32.8% rely strictly on formal college classes. 15.3% pay for online certification. Government training infrastructure — ASAP Kerala, K-DISC and similar — accounts for 1.8%, or 7 respondents.
That last number is the policy finding. Kerala runs a substantial public skilling apparatus, and in this sample it is essentially invisible as a primary skills route. Whether the cause is reach, relevance or reputation, the awareness gap is severe enough to be measured in single-digit counts.
A credential-first mental model persists anyway#
Asked what makes a CV employable, 39.6% still pick the prestige and percentage of the university degree — the same credential 72.9% just described as insufficient. 29.1% pick an independent project portfolio, 19.8% global skill certifications, and 11.5% internship recommendation letters.
This internal contradiction is the most actionable result in the education block. Young Keralites have correctly identified that their degree does not deliver jobs, but a plurality have not yet updated what they invest in instead. Career guidance that closes this specific gap — marks to demonstrable work — would be operating on a cohort that is already convinced of the premise.
Figures & data tables#
Every figure below is generated from the primary response counts, with the full response table and an embed snippet attached.
Do you currently feel that your formal college degree can secure you an immediate, industry-ready job?
നിങ്ങളുടെ കോളേജ് ബിരുദം വഴി ഉടനടി ഒരു മികച്ച ജോലി ലഭിക്കുമെന്ന് നിങ്ങൾക്ക് ഉറപ്പുണ്ടോ?
ഓരളവിന് മാത്രം മതിയെന്നേ ഉള്ളൂ
ഇല്ല, ഇത് ഒട്ടും മതിയായതല്ല
അതെ, ഇത് പൂർണ്ണമായും മതിയായതാണ്
Data table
| Response | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Only partially sufficient | 180 | 45.1% |
| No, it is completely insufficient | 111 | 27.8% |
| Yes, it is fully sufficient | 108 | 27.1% |
| Total answered | 399 | 100% |
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<iframe src="https://journal.moyanai.app/journal/embed/degree-job-readiness" width="100%" height="420" style="border:1px solid #e5e7eb;border-radius:8px" title="Do you currently feel that your formal college degree can secure you an immediate, industry-ready job? — Moyan Journal"></iframe>
<p>Source: <a href="https://journal.moyanai.app/journal/kerala-gen-z-survey-2026">The Kerala Gen Z Report 2026</a>, Moyan AI.</p>What do you believe is the single biggest flaw in Kerala's higher education system?
കേരളത്തിലെ ഉന്നതവിദ്യാഭ്യാസ രംഗത്തെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ പോരായ്മയായി നിങ്ങൾക്ക് തോന്നുന്നത് എന്താണ്?
പ്രായോഗിക പരിശീലനമില്ലാത്ത പഴഞ്ചൻ സിലബസ്
ക്യാമ്പസ് പ്ലേസ്മെന്റുകളുടെ പൂർണ്ണമായ അഭാവം
പരീക്ഷകളും ഫലപ്രഖ്യാപനങ്ങളും വൈകുന്നത്
പ്രായോഗിക പരിചയമുള്ള പ്രൊഫസർമാരുടെ കുറവ്
Data table
| Response | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outdated theoretical syllabus with zero practical training | 225 | 56.4% |
| Complete lack of corporate campus placements | 97 | 24.3% |
| Systemic delays in examinations and results | 44 | 11% |
| Lack of qualified, industry-experienced professors | 33 | 8.3% |
| Total answered | 399 | 100% |
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<iframe src="https://journal.moyanai.app/journal/embed/biggest-education-flaw" width="100%" height="420" style="border:1px solid #e5e7eb;border-radius:8px" title="What do you believe is the single biggest flaw in Kerala's higher education system? — Moyan Journal"></iframe>
<p>Source: <a href="https://journal.moyanai.app/journal/kerala-gen-z-survey-2026">The Kerala Gen Z Report 2026</a>, Moyan AI.</p>How do you primarily acquire modern, industry-relevant skills today?
തൊഴിലിന് ആവശ്യമായ ആധുനിക കഴിവുകൾ നിങ്ങൾ പ്രധാനമായും എവിടെ നിന്നാണ് പഠിച്ചെടുക്കുന്നത്?
യൂട്യൂബും മറ്റ് ഫ്രീ സൈറ്റുകളും വഴി
പൂർണ്ണമായും എന്റെ കോളേജ് ക്ലാസുകളിൽ നിന്ന് മാത്രം
പണം നൽകിയുള്ള ഓൺലൈൻ കോഴ്സുകൾ വഴി
സർക്കാർ പരിശീലന കേന്ദ്രങ്ങൾ വഴി
Data table
| Response | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube and free open-source materials | 200 | 50.1% |
| Strictly from my formal college classes | 131 | 32.8% |
| Paid online certification courses (Udemy, Coursera, etc.) | 61 | 15.3% |
| Government training setups (ASAP Kerala, K-DISC) | 7 | 1.8% |
| Total answered | 399 | 100% |
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<iframe src="https://journal.moyanai.app/journal/embed/how-skills-are-acquired" width="100%" height="420" style="border:1px solid #e5e7eb;border-radius:8px" title="How do you primarily acquire modern, industry-relevant skills today? — Moyan Journal"></iframe>
<p>Source: <a href="https://journal.moyanai.app/journal/kerala-gen-z-survey-2026">The Kerala Gen Z Report 2026</a>, Moyan AI.</p>Which educational resource do you value most to make your resume/CV employable?
നിങ്ങളുടെ ബയോഡാറ്റയിൽ (CV) കൂടുതൽ തൊഴിൽ മൂല്യം നൽകുന്നത് എന്താണെന്നാണ് നിങ്ങൾ വിശ്വസിക്കുന്നത്?
സർവ്വകലാശാലാ ബിരുദ സർട്ടിഫിക്കറ്റും മാർക്കും
നിങ്ങൾ സ്വയം ചെയ്ത പ്രായോഗിക പ്രൊജക്റ്റുകളുടെ പോർട്ട്ഫോളിയോ
അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര സ്കിൽ സർട്ടിഫിക്കറ്റുകൾ
മികച്ച സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളിൽ ചെയ്ത ഇന്റേൺഷിപ്പ് സർട്ടിഫിക്കറ്റുകൾ
Data table
| Response | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The prestige and percentage of my University Degree | 158 | 39.6% |
| A strong portfolio of independent practical projects | 116 | 29.1% |
| Global skill certifications (Google, AWS, etc.) | 79 | 19.8% |
| Letters of recommendation from intense internships | 46 | 11.5% |
| Total answered | 399 | 100% |
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<iframe src="https://journal.moyanai.app/journal/embed/most-valued-cv-asset" width="100%" height="420" style="border:1px solid #e5e7eb;border-radius:8px" title="Which educational resource do you value most to make your resume/CV employable? — Moyan Journal"></iframe>
<p>Source: <a href="https://journal.moyanai.app/journal/kerala-gen-z-survey-2026">The Kerala Gen Z Report 2026</a>, Moyan AI.</p>Frequently asked#
- What is the biggest problem with Kerala's higher education system?
- 56.4% of respondents named an outdated theoretical syllabus with no practical training, ahead of missing campus placements at 24.3% (n = 399).
- Do Kerala graduates think their degree will get them a job?
- No. 72.9% say their degree is only partially sufficient or completely insufficient for an immediate, industry-ready job.
- How many Kerala students use government skilling programmes?
- 1.8% named government training setups such as ASAP Kerala or K-DISC as their main source of industry-relevant skills.
Cite this page
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Community Leadership and Social Change Program Research Scholars & Valakkulam, Y. (2026). Kerala Higher Education & Employability Survey 2026. Moyan Journal of Community & Society, Volume 1, Issue 1. Department of Graduate Institute, DHI University (DHIU), India; published by Moyan AI. https://journal.moyanai.app/journal/kerala-gen-z-survey-2026/findings/education-employabilityReference manager
Open access. This work is published under CC BY 4.0. You may copy, redistribute, adapt and reuse the text, figures and data for any purpose, including commercially, with attribution and a link back.